ANC Youth League president Julius Malema said yesterday he would not be distracted by the current disciplinary hearing against him from the fight for economic freedom.
Malema also dispelled the notion that he was against white people, saying he would defend white people the same way he would do to the African people.
He was speaking during the OR Tambo Memorial Lecture at the University of Limpopo's Turfloop campus last night.
The embattled leader is facing disciplinary action after he was charged with sowing divisions and bringing the ANC into disrepute. This follows, among others, comments he made about the call for a change of regime in Botswana.
Last night, Malema said when the youth of Tambo's era took up arms to fight the apartheid regime, they were never taken through disciplinary hearings and that it was a surprise that the culture of the organisation was changing.
He said the liberation struggle was about making sure that the wealth of this country was shared by all who lived in it.
"The disciplinary action against me will never distract me from fighting for the nationalisation of the mines. Ours is a fight for economic freedom," he said.
He said a generation without a mission would be a lost generation.
Malema further warned the league leadership in provinces to respect the culture and discipline of the organisation. In reference to the disbanding of the leadership in KwaZulu-Natal, he said those who showed disrespect on the ANC would be dealt with.
"The ANC is not a federal organisation, like those in KwaZulu-Natal want to believe. Whether we are being taken through hearings or not, as long as we are not expelled we are still in charge and we will disband any leadership that goes beyond its mandate."
He further called on members of the league who were not happy with processes of the organisation not to speak outside the organisation.
"We believe political issues need political solutions from within the organisation," he said.
He said the league's struggle was a struggle to change the ownership of the means of production and not against white people. "White people are our fellow South Africans. We must always assure them that this country also belongs to them the same way it belongs to us. The struggle is not about white genocide," he added.
Malema said even during apartheid the youth never wanted to kill white people "but wanted to kill oppression".
Disciplinary action won't distract me - Malema
ANC Youth League president Julius Malema said yesterday he would not be distracted by the current disciplinary hearing against him from the fight for economic freedom.
Malema also dispelled the notion that he was against white people, saying he would defend white people the same way he would do to the African people.
He was speaking during the OR Tambo Memorial Lecture at the University of Limpopo's Turfloop campus last night.
The embattled leader is facing disciplinary action after he was charged with sowing divisions and bringing the ANC into disrepute. This follows, among others, comments he made about the call for a change of regime in Botswana.
Last night, Malema said when the youth of Tambo's era took up arms to fight the apartheid regime, they were never taken through disciplinary hearings and that it was a surprise that the culture of the organisation was changing.
He said the liberation struggle was about making sure that the wealth of this country was shared by all who lived in it.
"The disciplinary action against me will never distract me from fighting for the nationalisation of the mines. Ours is a fight for economic freedom," he said.
He said a generation without a mission would be a lost generation.
Malema further warned the league leadership in provinces to respect the culture and discipline of the organisation. In reference to the disbanding of the leadership in KwaZulu-Natal, he said those who showed disrespect on the ANC would be dealt with.
"The ANC is not a federal organisation, like those in KwaZulu-Natal want to believe. Whether we are being taken through hearings or not, as long as we are not expelled we are still in charge and we will disband any leadership that goes beyond its mandate."
He further called on members of the league who were not happy with processes of the organisation not to speak outside the organisation.
"We believe political issues need political solutions from within the organisation," he said.
He said the league's struggle was a struggle to change the ownership of the means of production and not against white people. "White people are our fellow South Africans. We must always assure them that this country also belongs to them the same way it belongs to us. The struggle is not about white genocide," he added.
Malema said even during apartheid the youth never wanted to kill white people "but wanted to kill oppression".
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